Case Studies...
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Alcohol and Your Throat
many people are unaware that drinking alcohol can have a very negative effect on your throat and leave you at risk of developing some very serious illnesses....
All About Dysphagia
Dysphagia is a term used to describe difficulties in swallowing and can include swallowing food, drink or even saliva....
All About Laryngitis
Laryngitis is a term given when the larynx becomes inflammed as a result of infection, overuse or irritation....
All About Pharyngitis
Pharyngitis is the medical name for a sore throat and is rarely serious unless breathing is affected by the swollen and inflamed tissues....
Allergies and Your Throat
Allergic reactions aren't usually serious and only affect the throat in a minor way, but in a few cases, it can be very serious....
Anatomy of the Throat
The throat is not a specific organ but it is a network of smaller organs that all work together but have their individual functions....
Bacterial Throat Infections
There are probably very few people who have never had a sore throat and most often these will be of a viral nature, but occasionally a more hazardous bacterial infection may have developed....
Bad Breath and Your Throat
Bad breath is common and usually the result inadequate dental hygiene or because of a highly flavoured dietary content. In some cases however, a bacterial or viral infection of the throat or sinuses m...
Can Shouting Damage the Vocal Cords?
Shouting, screaming and general overuse of the voice can lead to vocal cord damage, making it more likely that vocal cord polyps will form....
Can You Still Get Quinsy?
Quinsy was well known a hundred years ago. Now rare because it can be treated by antibiotics, it can still affect young people and could become more common because of antibiotic resistance....
Cancer of the Larynx
Cancer of the larynx is a condition in which the vocal folds and surrounding area develop a cancerous growth....
Cancer of the Mouth
Mouth cancer often begins as a painless mouth ulcer that won't heal and is most often seen in tobacco smokers....
Cancer of the Oesophagus
cancer of the oespophagus means there is a malignant growth in the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach....
Cancer of the Pharynx
Pharyngeal cancer occurs when a malignant growth develops in the area at the back of the nose and throat to the opening of the oesophagus....
Cancer of the Sinus
Cancer of the sinus occurs more in men than women but is still a relatively uncommon form of the disease in the UK....
Cancer of the Tongue
Cancer of the tongue can be very nasty as it can leave the sufferer with some unpleasant side-effects even if it is treated successfully....
Congenital Larynx Problems and Treatments
Congenital problems that affect the larynx are rare, affecting fewer than 5 babies in every 10,000 born. They can be mild and only detected later in life, or they can be life-threatening....
Could Cow's Milk Be Causing My Throat Problems?
Constantly having to clear the throat can be a habit, or it can have an underlying physical cause such as throat polyps....
Diphtheria and the Throat
Diphtheria is an acute infection that affects the airway and can cause blockage at the back of throat....
Do Probiotic Throat Lozenges Work?
Many claims are being made for a new throat lozenge that apparently repopulates the mouth, throat and digestive system with friendly bacteria. Are they true?...
Do You Have Bad Breath?
Bad breath is socially embarrassing and can be difficult to live with. Understanding what causes bad breath can help you tackle it, or at least minimise it using good dental hygiene....
Dust and Your Throat
Dust allergies are very common and can usually be controlled or reduced in the home environment, without requiring medical assistance....
Endoscopic Surgery for Throat
Ear, nose and throat specialists often use endoscopic surgery to remove tonsils, adenoids, to repair a cleft palate and to remove benign throat and vocal cord polyps, and cancerous growths....
Facts and Figures About Throat Cancer
Throat cancer is a relatively rare cancer but it still affects around 8000 people per year in the UK. It is treatable by surgery but is difficult to diagnose early....
Globus Pharyngeus
Commonly known as a lump in the throat, globus pharyngeus is a medically recognised condition and usually has a definite and recognisable cause....
Gum Cancer: How Common is It?
Gum cancer is a fairly common cancer in some parts of the world because of the association with tobacco and alcohol, but is generally relatively rare, causing about 2% of all cancer deaths....
I Developed a Goitre: A Case Study
Iodine deficiency used to be one of the most common causes of goitre, a condition in which the thyroid gland swells, until the 1990s when iodine was added in small amounts to table salt. People on low...
I Got a Fish Bone Stuck in My Throat: A Case Study
Getting a fish bone stuck in the throat can be terrifying. Thanks her friends, a bone stuck in Evie’s tonsil was removed safely before it could do any serious damage....
I Got Thrush in My Throat: A Case Study
Being run down and having a course of antibiotics can increase your susceptibility to thrush, both vaginal thrush and oral thrush. Anti-fungal lozenges should clear up oral thrush relatively quickly....
I Had a Tooth Out and Lost My Sense of Taste: A Case Study
The nerve that carries taste sensations to the brain can be damaged when local anaesthesia is used in dentistry. Sometimes this causes a loss of taste or altered taste....
I Have a Phobia About Taking Pills: A Case Study
Many people have difficulty swallowing pills, usually because of anxiety. If the problem is severe, GPs often recommend liquid medications if they are available....
Keeping Your Throat Healthy
It may not be possible to protect your throat from all forms or irritants and bacteria but there are measures that can help lessen the chances of long term damage....
Losing Your Voice
The most common cause of losing your voice is due to laryngitis which occurs as the voice box becomes inflamed....
Lumps in the Throat
Lumps in the throat are generally harmless, but occasionally they can be a sign of something more serious....
Managing a Blockage of the Throat
We are all at risk of choking, children especially, and as it is often the nearest person to the person choking who determines how successful the choking is managed, it is good sense to have a basic i...
Mononucleosis Infection and the Throat
Mononucleosis is a technical term for glandular which has in the past been called the kissing disease....
My Baby Was Born Tongue Tied : A Case Study
Some babies are born with a tiny piece of skin joining their tongue to the underside of their mouth. It can hamper breast feeding and is released in a quick and simple operation....
My Sore Throat Was Caused by Stomach Acid: A Case Study
Acid reflux, when stomach acid escapes back into the oesophagus, can cause inflammation. This leads to heartburn, paid and often a sore throat and persistent cough....
My Tonsils Had to Be Taken Out: Case Study
After years of tonsillitis, Iain was advised by his doctor to have a tonsillectomy to remove his tonsils completely as they were doing him more harm than good....
New Surgery to Transplant the Trachea
A throat and voice specialist participated in a revolutionary new surgical technique in March 2011, when a 10-year old boy from the UK was given a transplanted trachea....
Oral Sex and Throat Problems
Although penetrative sex poses the greatest risk the health, there are some occasions when people may be at risk performing or receiving oral sex too....
Pain in Side of Throat: What Could Be the Cause?
Pain can be felt in the throat but arise elsewhere. If you have had an ulcer or acid reflux, the problem may be in the oesophagus, not the throat....
Persistent Throat Clearing and Blood: What is the Cause?
Clearing the throat constantly, when there is no physical cause, can be a symptom of anxiety and it can be helped by stress reduction techniques....
Preventing Throat Problems
Sore throats are common and usually heal themselves but there are other risk factors that can put your health at risk so prevention is important in maintaining good health....
Salivary Gland Cancer: Symptoms and Treatments
Salivary gland cancer is a type of oral cancer. It is relatively rare but can become quite advanced before it is diagnosed as the symptoms are often ignored....
Shingles Affected My Throat: A Case Study
Shingles occurs when the chicken pox virus reactivates after years of dormancy in the body, causing severe skin blisters. Singles complications are common, particularly in older people....
Smoking and Throat Problems
Smoking does not just increase your blood pressure and risk of lung cancer, but can be extremely hazardous to your throat and voice too....
Snoring Nearly Ruined My Life: A Case Study
Being overweight can cause very bad snoring with the risk of sleep apnea. As well as losing weight, some behavioural changes and laser treatments can help....
Streptococcus Throat Infections
Sore throats are common and are normally caused by a virus. bacterial throat infections, such as a streptococcal throat infection, can be more serious and may need anti-biotic therapy....
Stress and Losing Your Voice
Losing your voice can be due to simple laryngitis but if chronic infection develops, not being able to speak can cause stress. Stress can also cause psychological voice loss....
The Effects of Coughing on Your Throat
Although coughing is something most people do without paying much attention to, it can cause problems if it becomes persistent...
The Function of the Throat
The throat is not one singular organ, it is actually made up of several different parts of the anatomy which work together allowing our throat to function....
The Role of an ENT Specialist
An ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist is a trained doctor who has specialised in the hospital treatment of health problems that affect these and associated parts of the head and neck....
Thrush and the Throat
Oral thrush can be very irritating and embarrassing for the sufferer, but in fact it is quite common and can easily be caused as a side-effect of certain medications....
Tonsillitis and Your Throat
Tonsillitis is a name given when our tonsils become inflamed and often infected by a virus or bacteria....
Treatments for Sore Throats
Sore throats are usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. most of the time the infection will disappear on its own, but occasionally prolonged bacterial infections may need a prescription med...
Treatments for Throat Cancer
Throat cancer is a huge risk to smokers and those who drink large amounts of alcohol, with those using both being at the highest risk....
Ulcers In The Throat
Throat ulcers may indicate a serious illness. They may occur if a severe throat infection is left untreated, but they can also indicate a more serious underlying condition....
Viral Throat Infections
viral sore throats are common and will not respond to anti-biotic treatment and most often the individual will just have to bear the symptoms until has fought off the infection by itself....
Weight and Throat Problems
Many people are unaware that their weight can have such a big impact on the health of their throat, but research continues to provide evidence....
What Are Throat Polyps?
Throat polyps are common, particularly on the vocal cords. They can be caused by smoking or overusing the voice. Most polyps are benign rather than cancerous....
What Causes Sore Throats?
Most sore throats are caused by infection and are not dangerous; persistent sore throats however may be a sign of an underlying condition that needs treating....
What Do the Adenoids Do?
The main function of the adenoids is to trap bacteria and viruses that we breathe in, either through the nose or through the mouth. The adenoids are part of the tissue that forms the immune system....
What is a Laryngectomy?
A laryngectomy is a procedure that involves removing part or all of the voice box usually as a result of a cancerous tumour in the larynx....
What is a Tonsillectomy?
When the tonsils become chronically affected by inflammation or infection, or if they are obstructing the airway, they may need removing; this procedure is called a tonsillectomy....
What is an Adenoidectomy?
The adenoids are small collections of tissues found at the back of the nose and throat. When they become swollen they can cause problems such as ear infections, and repeated infections may mean that t...
What is Quinsy?
Quinsy is the name given to a very nasty throat infection that causes abscesses to form in the back of the throat....
What is the Adam's Apple?
The medical term for an Adam’s apple is a ‘laryngeal prominence’. The tissue is formed by layers of thyroid cartilage that surround your larynx, or voice box....
What is Tracheostomy Formation?
A tracheostomy (or tracheotomy) is performed when more direct access to the airway is needed; the reasons for this are varied....
White Lumps From Throat in Mouth: What Are They?
Having white balls on the back of the throat and the tonsils can be due to tonsil stones. These are harmless but can cause bad breath....
Why You Need Your Tonsils
It was fashionable about 60 years ago to whip the tonsils out for almost any reason. We now realise they are a valuable gland that helps us fight off infection and we should hang on to our tonsils as ...
Your Thyroid and Throat
The thyroid is a gland in the human body and is important for hormone secretion. It can become underactive (hypothyroidism), overactive (hyperthyroidism) or enlarged....
Your Voice and How it Works
As air is passed through the larynx which lies at the back of the throat, the tissues partially open and vibrate to produce sound....